Carbon accumulation in peatlands along a boreal to subarctic transect in eastern Canada

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the links between peat carbon accumulation and past ecological and hydrological conditions in three peatlands (Bouleau, Mista, Auassat) which developed along a South-North transect within a watershed encompassing the boreal and subarctic domain in Eastern Canada. Peatland development and long-term apparent rates of carbon accumulation (LORCA) were asynchronous in the watershed, suggesting an influence of both latitude and topography (altitude) on the length of the growing season (GGD0). Results show that peat initiation within the three peatlands (respectively ca. 9070, 8400, and 6270 cal BP) was delayed after the deglaciation and that LORCA (respectively 35.5, 15.4, and 9.0 g C m−2 yr−1) decreased from South to North. Peatland development and fen to bog transitions were found to be almost synchronous for the two southernmost sites. The fen to bog transition in the northernmost subarctic site was delayed until the 20th century, owing to the less favorable climatic conditions. This suggests that recent warming has extended the length of the growing season and increased Sphagnum growth enough to potentially influence an ecosystem state-shift as observed in other Subarctic regions of eastern Canada.